Charming, Funny Fellows

Fragments of a Fable

(click to enlarge)

Followed by:

A bit further on, the bird and the worm came upon a snake traveling in the same direction.  "Would you mind giving us a ride?" asked the bird.  "We are tired and we are not supposed to get a ride from any foxes, but you are clearly not a fox."

 . . .

The snake was hungry, so he decided to gobble down the bird and the worm right away.  He quickly whipped his head around!  His sharp with fangs flashed as he opened his mouth as wide as he could and . . .

"Wait! Stop!" shouted the bird. "You can't eat us!  We are charming, funny fellows!"

"Once you get to know us you will be unable to devour us!" added the worm.

"I don't want to get to know you," hissed the snake.  "I find you tiresome and annoying."

He snapped his jaws shut, but the bird and the worm jumped out of the way just in time and fled.

They ran into the bushes and hid from the snake.

"He is not very nice at all!" exclaimed the bird.

"It's a shame he never took the time to get to know us," lamented the worm. . . . 

From: A Bird and His Worm by James Kaczman

(See also: The Scorpion and the Frog plus Connections and Empathy )